State senate president highlights small businesses in Hamilton, Robbinsville

HAMILTON — Two local shops played host to state legislators Tuesday afternoon as part of a statewide tour highlighting small businesses.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) said outside the Kucker-Haney Paint Company in Hamilton that the trips helped legislators to better understand the problems faced by small businesses.

Such trips and conversations also give legislators insight into problems the legislature might be able to solve, said State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro).

“It’s the best way to make good legislation,” she said.

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Paint store owner Jim Haws said he has seen problems ranging from regulatory overlaps and taxes to competition from big box stores and rising healthcare costs.

His wife, Susan Haws, said it has become more expensive for the store to insure its nine employees.

“Healthcare has just gone through the roof,” she said.

Jim Haws said there is not as much competition in healthcare as there was in the past. He said where years ago, his business could choose from as many as five providers, now it will be at most three. Haws said the business has been open since 1950 and at its Route 33 location since 1976.

Sweeney said he encouraged Haws and others to come to him and other legislators with suggestions to address some of those problems.

“That’s how most things become laws, people come to us with ideas,” Sweeney said. “it’s (government is) not some machine that kicks things out, it actually comes from people like yourself.”

Sweeney said that he has consistently heard from business owners that they are dealing with problems such as taxes and healthcare.

“Another is the state government itself not being business friendly,” he said.

Jim Haws said he was also concerned about rising crime in Trenton and its effects on nearby businesses in Hamilton, Ewing and Lawrence.

“It (Crime) is everywhere, but I think it’s out of control in Trenton,” he said. “It is getting worse as it migrates out of the city.”

Sweeney said he wanted to encourage “shop local” initiatives, such as ones sponsored by the Hamilton Partnership and the Haws’ paint company.

“Catching dollars in the local community strengthens the community,” Sweeney said.

A press release from the Senate Democrats’ office said Sweeney has visited five businesses so far in the state. The pair visited the paint company in Hamilton and VC Salon in Robbinsville.

PolitickerNJ.com has reported that the senate president will not seek to challenge Christie, but he will be helping defend the Democrats’ hold on legislative majorities.